HALLANDALE BEACH – Super Super Stable’s Hidden to Win ($14.20) was a hard-fought front-running winner of Sunday’s second race at Gulfstream Park to give Chilean champion jockey Jaime Medina his first victory in the United States.
A 6-year-old Ontario-bred mare, Hidden to Win dueled for the lead with Indian Chaser through fractions of 24.32 and 47.35 seconds before putting that rival away after six furlongs in 1:12.12, then held off a late bid from Beautyofaday to win in 1:38.93 for one mile over a fast main track.
It was the third mount in the U.S. for Medina, 30, who finished off the board in two starts March 29 at Gulfstream. He spent the weekend in South Florida to get a feel for American racing before returning to Chile today.
According to Medina, he has ridden in Chile for 12 years with more than 2,200 wins. He earned his 2,000th victory on July 31, 2016 and rode the winner of the 2011 El Derby (G1) at Valparaiso Sporting Club.
LIVE RACING RETURNS THURSDAY
Gulfstream Park will host an eight-race program Thursday, April 5 to kick off a 110-day spring-summer meet that runs through Sunday, Sept. 30. First race post time Thursday is 1 p.m. The spring-summer schedule includes 34 stakes worth $4.175 million in purses highlighted by the Summit of Speed Saturday, June 30 and FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes series Aug. 4, Sept. 1 and 29.
Live racing will be conducted primarily Thursday through Sunday with special programs Monday, May 28 (Memorial Day); Wednesday, June 6; Wednesday, July 4 (Independence Day); Wednesday, Aug. 22 and Monday, Sept. 3 (Labor Day).
WHO'S HOT: Jockey Tyler Gaffalione closed the Championship Meet with three winners, aboard Asked and Answered ($4.40) in the third race, O.K. Kay ($5) in the sixth and Nikki’s Cause ($9.80) in the ninth. Leader Luis Saez won with Disruptor ($8.20) in the fifth and Bow Tie Affair ($5.40), bringing his record total to 137 for the meet. Nik Juarez also had a riding double with Forty Fathoms ($5.60) in the seventh and Heading Home ($11.80) in the 12th.
Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez and trainer Todd Pletcher, who joined forces to win the $1 million Xpressbet.com Florida Derby Saturday with Audible, teamed up for back-to-back wins with Slot ($3) in the 10th race and Bold Daddy ($5.60) in the 11th. Pletcher claimed his 15th consecutive training title with 69 wins.
Rainbow 6 Carryover:$43,972.44